1994 2nd Place: Surprise Packages

1 c Unsalted butter, softened

2 1/4 c All-purpose flour

1/3 c Confectioners`sugar, sifted

1 ts Pure vanilla extract

1 ts Water

36 Thin layered chocolate

Mint wafers (or other Flavor miniature Chocolates), unwrapped Mmmmm--------------- -------------icing----- -- � --------------------------- Confectioners` sugar Milk Food color, colored Sprinkles as desired

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Have ready ungreased baking sheets.

2. Beat butter in large bowl of electric mixer until light and

fluffy. Beat in half of the flour, the sugar, vanilla and water until thoroughly combined. Beat in the remaining flour. 3. Use a scant 1 tablespoon of dough and press it flat and thin with

your hands. Put a chocolate mint wafer in the center and fold the dough over to completely cover each chocolate and to form a neat, rectangular package. Pinch the edges to seal. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. 4. Bake until bottoms are lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool a

few minutes on the baking sheets and then cool completely on wire racks. 5. For icing, mix confectioners` sugar and milk to make a thin icing;

color icing as desired. Use a small spatula to ice cookies. Decorate as desired so cookies resemble Christmas packages. For variety, second-place winner Carol Feezell of Skokie, Illinois uses several kinds of miniature candies in her pretty cookies. She suggests filling the cookies with chocolate mint wafers, such as Andes, or Hershey`s Miniatures. We also enjoyed Lindt`s orange chocolate thins when we made the cookies in the Tribune test kitchen. from the Chicago Tribune seventh annual Food Guide Holiday Cookie Contest December 8, 1994 -----